


Welcome to Roni’s

by EvilSenpai



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, HyperionHeights, Roni - Freeform, curse, swanqueen - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-10-25 10:58:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17723906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvilSenpai/pseuds/EvilSenpai
Summary: Emma gets a letter from Lucy telling her about the curse, and Emma goes right away, and ends up running into Regina’s cursed self Roni and befriending her. Or perhaps... more than befriending her.





	1. Chapter 1

The light from her window became unbearable in the early hours of the morning, and so Emma decided to just get out of bed. She strolled into the kitchen bleary eyed and half asleep and smashed the buttons on her coffee maker.

 

“I need to start going to sleep early,” she mumbled to herself. It had been a late night of Orange is the New Black and ice cream, the perfect combination for a lonely heart in a big empty house.

 

Hook had left her for the pirate life again after years of feeling restless, and although it didn’t bother her too much that he was gone, she certainly didn’t like being alone.

 

Emma reaches up to her top cabinet and pulled out a box of Froot Loops, and haphazardly poured them into a bowl. After grabbing her fresh crappy coffee, and sat at the counter and started eating.

 

It only took her two minutes to tire of eating and push her food away, and she laid her head on the cold counter. Her eyes were closed, and she watched swirls of color dance across her eyelids. She sighed, and yawned, and opened them. As she opened them she noticed something. A small, brown envelope. With nothing but her name on it. She sat up and snatched it and ripped it open, her eyebrows pulled together.

 

“Emma,

Henry needs your help, there’s another curse. Come to Hyperion Heights, Seattle.

Love, Lucy”

 

Lucy?

“Oh my god Lucy!” Emma’s mind flashed of her granddaughter, and she ran to her room. Quicker than someone could say Storybrooke, she had a suitcase packed and she was fumbling down her stairs with untied boots threatening to fall off her feet.

 

She tossed her bag in the back of her yellow big and hit the road.

 

“Mom? Somethings happened and I have to go see Henry. He’s in Seattle. Everything’s okay. I’ll be back soon. Love you.” Emma left a voicemail and threw her phone onto the passenger seat.

 

After days of driving across the country, Emma ended up in Hyperion Heights, frantic and sleep deprived. She needed to find Henry, but the problem is she had no clue where to start.

 

She parked her car on the side of a busy city road and wandered around the block, hoping to see something that would catch her eye as a red flag. And she did. She saw Henry, tall, nerdy as ever, in his khaki pants, walking into a bar called Roni’s. She quickly fallowed after him, but knew she had to be careful, because he had no clue who she was. Which is why she needed to find Lucy, because at least Lucy seemed to be awake.

 

Emma opened the door to the bar and stepped inside, her eyes adjusting to the dim lighting. She made her way over to the counter and sat down, two seats away from Henry. Out of the corner of his eye she watched him text someone, and then watched as someone approached him from behind the bar.

 

“Hey Henry, what can I getcha?” Emma’s eyes snapped up to the women and she clapped her hand to her mouth.

 

“OhMY god.”

 

Oh... shit. She’s said that out loud.

 

“Are you okay, dear?” Dear... that’s what Regina always called her. Emma nodded at her, a dumbstruck look on her face.

 

“Yeah, sorry. Just- forgot something.” Her eyes told a completely different story as they stared at Regina- or rather Roni- but they didn’t ask.

 

She sat there for nearly an hour just staring at Regina and Henry inconspicuously and trying to figure out what their cursed selves were like. Obviously Regina was completely different. She’d gone from uptight mayor to easygoing bar tender. And her wardrobe dear Jesus, she was wearing JEANS. And a literal cheetah print jacket? It was almost too much for Emma to take in.

 

Henry wasn’t too different, and she almost didn’t notice when he left. But she did. And she said nothing. There’s nothing she could say anyway, she just watched him walk out.

 

“See something you like, dear?” Emma’s head whipped around to see Roni leaning over the bar talking to her. At first she didn’t realize what she’d said. But then unfortunately she did.

 

“Ew no, god no.” Roni gave a Regina-like smirk and raised an eyebrow.

 

“So that’s why you kept staring at him?” Emma made a disgusted face.

 

“As if,” she snorted.

 

“Oh I see, I guess guys aren’t everyone’s type.” Emma choked on the water she’d gotten early.

 

“Excuse me,” she said through coughs. “I’m not- no. No.” Her eyes met Roni’s and she could see the amusement in them. Roni leaned in towards her, just inches from her face.

 

“Well, that’s too bad.” Roni winked and swayed off into a back room, leaving Emma with her mouth agape. Did Regina’s cursed self just flirt with her? This day is one massive shit-show.

 

Roni never reappeared, and the bar was slow anyways so it didn’t really matter, but Emma was there for hours. She wasn’t sure where to go from there. Maybe she could just sleep in her car, it’s not like she hadn’t before.

 

Emma groaned to herself at that thought and downed her second glass of beer.

 

“What’s the point?” She slammed it down, the liquid splashing over the sides, and leaned onto her hand looking miserable.

 

Just at that moment Roni decided to reappear.

 

“Jesus, who died?” Emma blearingly met her gaze and grunted.

 

“Everyone.”

 

“Well you seem cheery. So what are you doing around here?” Emma internally sighed at the small talk and lifted her head.

 

“Just looking for someone. Might stay here a while.”

 

“Ah, I see. Well good luck with that. Have you found a place to stay?”

 

“No I haven’t even looked.” Emma realized how dumb it was to not start looking in the hours she’d sat here staring into space and drinking.

 

“Well I’ve got an extra room in my apartment if you wanna stay there for awhile.” Roni shrugged. Emma’s eyes widened.

 

“Seriously? You barely know me.”

 

“Eh. You seem trustworthy enough. Besides I don’t really mind if you kill me in my sleep.” Emma thought she was gonna die. Regina mills just made a joke and said “eh” in the same sentence. She was so taken aback by that, she forgot to answer.“...Well?”

 

“Oh, right, yeah that sounds great actually. Perhaps I should actually introduce myself. I’m Emma,” she reached out a hand. Regina took it.

 

“That’s a lovely name, I’m Roni.” Emma fought the urge to say she knew. “So Emma, wanna go up to the bedroom?”


	2. Chapter 2

The bedroom was nothing special, but the apartment did remind her of Mary Margaret’s back home. It was comforting. 

Emma went and got her suitcase out of the Bug and lugged it into her new room, and not-so-carefully threw her clothes into the small dresser across from her bed. 

“Emma, I’m gonna turn in, if you wake up before nine be quiet because I will kill you if you wake me up too,” Roni shouted from the hallway. 

“Okay, goodnight!” Emma shouted back. She grinned stupidly to herself. Roni. It’s ridiculous how different she is from Regina. Regina would never get up after nine. She’s sure she’d claim the day was going to waste. 

Emma flopped herself onto the bed and curled up into the sheets, her mind wandering to Lucy. She needed to find her. Maybe Roni knew her? 

“It’s worth asking,” Emma thought to herself, as she drifted off into sleep. 

—————————————————

Emma woke the next morning to the sound of her phone buzzing. Grumbling, she lifted her head and grabbed it off the night stand. Emma groaned and answered the call. 

“Hey mom,” Emma said rubbing her face and sitting up. 

“Hey Emma! I was just calling to make sure you got to Seattle okay?”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m all good. Regina- well, her cursed self- gave me a place to sleep. I’m staying in the extra room of her apartment.”

“Oh that’s nice!”

“Get this- she owns a bar, and she wears skinny jeans.” She heard Mary Margaret giggle on the other end. 

“I’d pay to see that.”

“I’ll send you a picture. Although it’s like six in the morning here mom, so I’d kinda like to go back to sleep.”

“Oh, right! I’m sorry I completely forgot about the time difference! Bye, Emma, love you.”

“Love you too mom.” Emma tossed the phone on the other side of the bed and buried her face in her pillow. 

She payed there for nearly half an hour, not able to get back to sleep, until she decided to just get up. There’s no point in laying in bed if she’s already too awake. Emma slips some socks on and wanders out into the kitchen. Remembering that Roni said to be quiet, she carefully sneaks into the cabinets in search of cereal. 

She doubted that Roni would have Froot Loops, and she was correct. All she found was Honey Nut Cheerios and some weird multi-grain thing. She decided to go with the less healthy (and more tasty) route, and eat some Cheerios. 

She quickly shoveled the Cheerios into her mouth, the spoon clinking against the bowl, and grabbed the newspaper a few feet from her. Emma flopped through it until she reached the page she was looking for, and she scanned through it. 

“Whatcha lookin’ for?” Emma looked up to see a sleepy Roni emerging from her room. 

“Just a job. I don’t have much in the way of savings.” Roni nodded in acknowledgment and poured herself a cup of coffee. “She looks kind of adorable,” Emma thought to herself. She’d never seen her in flannel pajamas with messy hair. Roni sleepily sipped in her coffee and leaned on the counter across from Emma. 

“Find anything interesting?” Emma scrunched up her face. 

“Not really. Although there is an opening at the sheriffs station just next door, and I’m the sheriff of the town I’m from, so maybe that’ll be a good fit. It’s just some desk job though.”

“Well it’s enough to get your coin, so I say go for it.” Emma choked and laughed into her coffee cup. She couldn’t believe Regina just said coin. This new her was full of surprises. 

“Yeah, maybe. Oh, i forgot to ask, do you happen to know a kid named Lucy?” Roni’s eyes widened. 

“Yeah! She’s so sweet, she’s the daughter of one of Henry’s friend, the guy from the bar yesterday.”

“Yes I remember him,” Emma said quietly. 

“Why do you ask?”

“Well... she’s kinda the person I came here looking for.”

“Really? She’s a kid, what’s she got to do with you?” Roni came and sat next to Emma. 

“Uh- it’s complicated.” Roni squinted at her but didn’t push. 

“Alright...” she pretended not to hear her say “weirdo” as she stood up and grabbed a sticky note from a drawer. She scribbled something down and walked away. “I’m taking a shower, Lucy’s address is on the counter.”

“Thanks,” Emma mumbled. She snatched up the paper and stumbled back into her bedroom. Tossing on some jeans and her leather jacket, she called out a goodbye to Roni and left to go find Lucy. 

Staring at the address, she attempted to find her way, and she found herself in front of an apartment door an hour later. 

Sucking in a sharp breath of air, she knocked. The door swung open and a cheery little girl popped out.

“Lucy!” Emma bent down and hugged her. 

“I can’t believe you came,” Lucy said excitedly. She beamed at her. “Come in.” Lucy grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her inside. “My mom already went to work, so we have the apartment to ourselves all day.”

“Hold up kid” Emma said, sitting on the couch next to Lucy. “Don’t you have school?”

“Nah, it’s a teacher workday.”

“Oh okay perfect, so, do you know if anyone else is awake?”

“No i don’t think so, but we need to wake up Roni.” Emma nodded. 

“Yeah, we do. Any ideas how?”

“I have no clue, there’s no magic here. Unless we’ve got her true love lying around somewhere.” Emma grinned at that. 

“No I don’t think we do. But I’m sure we’ll think of something.” Emma stood. “How about you show me around kid?” Lucy smiled and hopped up at her. 

“Yeah! Can we get ice cream!” Emma smiled at her. 

“Sure kid,” she threw an arm over Lucy’s shoulder and they wandered down into the streets of Seattle. 

——————————————

An hour and two ice creams later, Lucy and Emma found their way to the community garden. 

“This is my favorite place. It’s like Henry’s castle.” Emma smiled softly. 

“Yeah, I remember that place.” They sat on the edge of a planting box. “This place is nice. Calm.”

“Yeah. Except for the cars going by,” Lucy snickered. She stood and grabbed Emma’s arm, “come on, let’s go to Roni’s”

They walked down the block and entered the bar.

“Are you sure it’s okay for you to be in here?” Lucy shrugged. 

“Yeah, i come in here all the time.” They sit at the counter and Roni wanders in from the back room. 

“Oh, hey kid!” Regina smiled so widely, that Emma’s heart jumped. It was nice to see Regina happy, she told herself. “Is that ice cream?” She looked questioningly at Emma. “It’s like 10 AM, don’t you think it’s a bit early for that?” Emma grinned at her. 

“It’s never too early for dessert.” Roni shook her head at her. 

Lucy and Emma sat in the bar until opening time talking, when Emma decided it was time for her to get home. She walked Lucy back to her apartment and returned to the bar, where Roni was busy at work. For the second night, she sat at the bar, but tonight she decided on a stronger drink than water. 

“Roni could I get some vodka?” 

“Of course, dear.” 

Emma lasted about eight shots and three beers until she needed to drag herself upstairs. She flung herself onto the sofa and stared at the ceiling, the lights from passing cars dancing in her eyes. 

Emma fell fast asleep and was woken by Roni hours later coming up from closing down the bar. 

“Hey sleepy head,” Roni shouted nudging Emma. She lifted her drunken head and stared at her.

“Yah?”

“We need to get you into bed.” Emma nodded sleepily and attempted to stand, but instead fell into Roni’s arms.

“Whoa.” Roni wrapped an arm around her to keep her steady and led her into her room. She pulled off Emma’s boots and jacket and tucked the comforter around her. “Hmm,” Emma let out a soft little grumble. Roni chuckled softly. 

“Thanks, Regina.” Roni scrunched her eyebrows at Emma’s little mix-up, but didn’t correct her. 

“Goodnight, Emma.” She stepped out of the room, shutting the door softly behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanna throw in some smaller fanfic tropes her and there so if y’all have any ideas you wanna see let me know.
> 
> Also sorry if this isn’t a very descriptive story, I’m having to type this on my phone so it’s a bit tiring. I’ll try and do it on my computer next time.


	3. Chapter 3

        After a long unpleasurable morning filled with pain meds and many glasses of water, Emma hopped over to the Sheriff’s station. As she opened the door, the warm air hit her face, and she paused a moment to take it in.

       “Here goes nothing,” she told herself. Emma walked up to the main desk and smiled at the officer sitting there. She attempted her best smile, and greeted her. “Hi, my name’s Emma Swan, I was wondering you guys were still hiring for that desk job?” The woman, Officer Dalia, looked up straight-faced at her, and tossed her a pack of paper. Emma faltered. “...Thanks.” In that moment, she felt someone come and stand next to her.

       “Don’t mind Dalia, she’s always a bit grumpy.” Emma turned her head so fast she nearly got whiplash. She’d recognize that voice anywhere. It’s Hook. Although it wasn’t really, she knew. It was “Nook”, and Regina had always called him. Emma glanced at his name tag which read Rogers.

       “Ha, it’s fine.”

       “So, you here about that desk job?” Emma nodded. “Well, it’s a pretty easy application so you could step into my office and complete it in there, and I can turn it in for you?” 

       “Oh, that would be great, thanks.” Emma followed Rogers to his office, and then noticed him. Gold, just walking past her. She squinted at him, but he didn’t see her. Once inside the office, she sat down biting her lip. “I wonder if he’s awake,” she thought, “he usually is.” Scribbling on the form, she spared a glance at Rogers every so often, until deciding to just ask about him.

       “Uh-” she cleared her throat, “Who was that guy that walked past us outside?” Rogers looked up from his work.

       “Weavers? He’s the big man around here. He’s not the boss, but he’s the lead detective. No one really knows much about him. You want me to introduce you?” Emma thought about it for a second, before nodding.

       “Sure.” Rogers stood and left the office, and then returned with Gold, well, Weavers. Emma stood and held out a hand. “Hi, Emma.”

       “This is our soon-to-be report reviewer, Miss Swan.” Weaver nodded and stared at her, before extending his hand as well.

       “Lovely to meet you,” he said in his light Scottish accent. Emma couldn’t tell whether he recognized her or not, so she took a leap.

       “You look really familiar, do we know each other from somewhere?” A genuine look of confusion crossed over Weaver’s face.

       “No, I don’t believe so dearie.” She could tell he was telling the truth.

       “Hm, you must just have one of those faces.” Weaver nodded.

       “Well I really must be off to finish my work, nice to meet you again, Miss Swan.” She half smiled at him and collapsed back in her seat. He definitely wasn’t awake. She guesses that’s one more person who can’t help her.

       After about half an hour, she completed the application and dropped it onto Rogers desk.

      “Thanks for letting me sit in here.”

      “‘Course, I’ll let you know about the job soon.”

      “Cool, thanks.” Emma was about to turn to leave when she decided not to. “Do you happen to know a good place for a snack around here?” Rogers grinned widely and nodded. 

      “Yeah, take a left out the door and go down three blocks and make a right, there’s a really great food truck there, can’t miss it.” 

      “Thanks!” Emma scurried out the building and down the road in search of food.

 

\----------------------

 

She finally found the food truck, after a few missed turns, and she smelled delicious fried dough. Rollin’ Bayou, the side of the truck read. Emma approached the window and knocked on the side. A woman wearing a flour covered apron appeared quickly.

       “Hi, welcome to Rollin’ Bayou,” the woman said with a slight Southern accent. “What can I getcha?” Emma stopped and appreciated just how pretty the woman was. Her jet black curly hair tied up, with a few strands falling into her face, and her intricate round earrings, which she noticed a small patch of dough on the left.

       “Uh- yeah, whatever smalls so sweet,” Emma grinned up at her dumbly.

       “Ah, my famous beignets!” She grabbed a bag from behind her and handed it to Emma. “The best around! You ever had ‘em before?”

       “Nope, can’t say I have, is it a Southern thing?”

       “Yeah, a big deal in New Orleans, where I’m from. I’m Sabine by the way.” Sabine held out her hand and Emma took it. It was surprisingly soft.

       “Nice to meet you, I’m Emma.”

       “Tell you what Emma, since you’re a beignet virgin, I’m gonna let you have that bag free. Who knows, maybe you’ll come back for more.”

       “Well, thanks.” Emma blushed. “I probably will, have a nice day- Sabine.” She backed away grinning, beignets in hand, and fought the urge to skip down the block. Pretty girls always had that effect on Emma, especially funny girls who could cook. Something about cooking was just so adorable to her. Emma thought it was probably just because it’s the kind of girl she wanted to be. All girls got like that.

       She found herself back at Roni’s and took a seat at the bar. It had opened about an hour ago, and Roni was serving up drinks. “Hey, Roni!” Emma said through a mouth full of beignet. Roni made her way over to her and leaned over the counter.

        “You eat like a child.” Emma grinned at her, powdered sugar covering her lips. “Did you get those from Sabine’s?”

        “Yah. How do you know her?”

        “Lucy’s mom is her best friend, Jacinda.” Ah, Ella. Henry’s wife, at least back home. Emma nodded and shoved another treat into her mouth.

        “She’s really pretty,” Emma said after swallowing hard. Roni chuckled.

        “Sure, if you’re into that sort of thing.” Roni walked a few feet away, turning her back to Emma.

        “Into what sort of thing?” Roni turned and flashed a smile at her.

        “Girls.” Emma’s face heated up and she murmured a soft “oh”, and set down her food.

        “Well I’m not... into girls, that is. Like I told you the other night. Not my type.” Roni returned in front of her with two beers.

        “Seems like no one’s your type.”

        “Eh, I’m taking a break from relationships right now, my last one ended with him running away on a boat.” Emma took a large sip of the beer.

        “Geez, that sucks.”

        “Mmhmm, sure does. But I’m over it, wasn’t too disappointed.”

        “Mm, I wonder why,” Roni whispered under her breath.

        “What was that?” Emma asked.

        “Oh nothing.” Roni laughed quietly into her beer.

        “Whatever.”

       “Oh, I wanna show you something!” Roni rounded the corner of the counter and pulled up Emma from the seat, dragging her towards the stairs to the apartment. “Dave, take over for a while!” She shouted at the man behind the counter.

        Roni told her to sit down on the sofa, and she went to grab something from her room. When she returned she sat next to Emma. “This is the book that Lucy thinks everyone is from. Henry wrote it.”

       She flipped through the pages. She guess this is this curses version of the storybook. “Who does she think you are?” Emma asked jokingly, even though she already knew the answer.

        “Ha, she thinks I’m the Evil Queen, Regina. Well, Evil Queen turned good. It’s ridiculous, really.”

         “I don’t know, sounds realistic enough, you’d probably look real sexy in that mayor get-up.” Roni laughed at that.

        “So you’ve read it.” Emma looks her in the eye.

        “Yeah, I almost feel like I’ve lived it.” In that moment, Emma wished more than ever that Roni remembered, all their memories and adventures together. Emma was about to tear up, but realized Roni would ask questions, so she turned her gaze back to the book. “Do you think I could borrow this, reread it?”

         “Yeah, ‘course.” Emma took another minute to flip through it.

        “Well, you probably have to get back to the bar now, right?”

        “Nah, I left Dave in charge, he’s got it handled. Wanna play a board game or something?” Emma looked up excitedly.

        “Yeah! Do you have Ticket to Ride?!”

         “Mm. Wouldn’t have pegged you as that kind of girl.” Roni smirked at her and stood up, and grabbed the game from a cabinet to their left.

         “There’s a lot about me you don’t know.”


End file.
